Mining Institute, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Perm, Russia:

A. V. Krasikov, Engineer, alexeykrasikov55@gmail.com

The Kungur Ice Cave is a unique natural site, where scientific research has been carried out for a long time. In this article, by the example of the Kungur Ice Cave touring area, we substantiate the chosen methods for assessing the stability of the grotto roof and karst cavity walls laid in the Ice Mountain Massif composed of sulfate-carbonate interstratified rocks. Stability assessment was carried out on the basis of determining the coefficient of stability, which was calculated using nine parameters: morphometric indicators of grottos and karst cavity passages, lithological composition and degree of deformation of host rocks, elements of rock occurrence, microclimate characteristics, landslide hazard, fracturing, physical and mechanical properties of host rocks, watering area and man-made factor. The parameters are sampled from the complex multidisciplinary monitoring (geological, hydrogeological, microclimatic), surveyor control and observations of landslide processes carried out since 1930 in the Kungur Ice Cave. During the study throughout the excursion trail in the cave, 47 sections were delineated and the stability coefficient was calculated for each section. According to the results of the stability coefficient (S) calculation, the selected sites were divided into three types: the highly stable type includes the sites for which the sum of the estimated points equals 8.0 < S, stable type—7.0 ≤ S ≤ 8.0 and low-stable S < 7. The ranking of sites by the degree of stability will further ensure safe touristic activities, as well as mining and geological operations, and can strengthen control over active negative processes in the Kungur Ice Cave. The experience gained in the stability assessment can be applied to other underground sites, both artificial and natural, located in the same engineering-geological conditions and extensively exploited by man.

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